Mbeki sorry for S Africa violence

President says his citizens' heads are "bowed in shame" after xenophobic attacks.

04 Jul 2008 15:06 GMT

About 9,000 people remain in refuge camps after being displaced by the violence [EPA]

Tens of thousands of people, mostly migrants, were displaced during the violence. Thousands have returned to their home nations, such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

About 13,000 remain in refuge camps set up by the government, which has been criticised for doing too little to help victims.

The government has said that the camps will be closed by the end of July.

Kalay Maistry, Al Jazeera's correspondent at the Ramaphosa settlement in South Africafrom where many people fled violence, said that the government was doing little more to placate the anger some South Africans have towards foreigners.

Maistry said that the majority of those targeted in the violence do not yet feel safe enough to return to their homes.

Emma Macave, a camp resident, told her: "How can you live where you don't feel safe? The person behind you could attack you."

The violence in May pitted poor South Africans against poor migrants. The locals accused migrants of taking scarce jobs and housing from them.